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Buying a home is a complex process, and today's home buyers use technology to help with house hunting, neighborhood research, and shopping for a mortgage. Here are a few essential tech tools to use when buying a home.

Online Listings

Today's home buyers use online listings to narrow down their home search. Many people begin home shopping online - even before they contact a real estate agent. With the easy availability of listing information, including multiple photos, virtual tours, videos, and map-based information, home buyers can gather information that gets them another step closer to picking a home.

To begin finding a home, you can use our Smart Search tool by entering your search criteria. Once you have a better idea of the type of home and location you want, the next step is to contact a local agent to assist you further with the home buying process.

Neighborhood Research

Most home buyers want to know more about a particular neighborhood before they buy. Every listing on CarringtonRealEstate.com includes a profile of the neighborhood where it's located. In addition to statistical data, home buyers can use web sites such as CrimeReports.com and FamilyWatchdog.us to access information about the safety of the neighborhood where they're looking.

Digital Camera

Online listing photos and videos can help you identify homes you might be interested in seeing in person, but they don't always show everything you need to know. Once your agent has helped you schedule a private tour of the property, be sure to bring along your digital camera - or use the camera on your smartphone - to take your own photos of all the features you are interested in, such as views, room sizes, appliances and amenities. This tactic can be especially useful to you when viewing more than one property. Your snapshots can help you more easily compare properties and narrow your search down to the best home for you.

Mortgage Calculator App

One of the most important considerations in your home search is determining how much you can afford. During the initial information-gathering phase, many home buyers use a mortgage calulator app to do some basic number crunching and get a general idea of their target home price range. There are many versions of this type of app out there, and the information can seem overwhelming to first-time home buyers. What's more, these apps can help get you started, but don't always look at your entire financial picture. You may be able to afford more home than you realize. Working with a real estate agent can help you further understand your home buying power.

All of these tools - used in combination with the assistance of a tech-savvy real estate agent - can help you locate the right home, the right neighborhood, and the right mortgage for you. For more information, contact a Carrington Real Estate Services agent in your area today!

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